Climate change is the most widespread & complex problem humanity has ever faced! There is no time to waste and we need to turn green talk into profound green action. This is the intention of the GREEN TIMES.

Time is right to put SA eco-champions in the spotlight

The 8th annual Eco-Logic Awards event, presented by The Enviropaedia, South Africa’s online environmental encyclopaedia, green directory and repository of sustainability thought leadership will be held on 5 June 2019, which is World Environment Day. The opportunity to enter this year’s competition is now open, and anyone can nominate a South African community or government institution; a business project, service or product; an organisation or individual who is contributing to our urgent quest for a more sustainable world.

It’s all too easy to get swamped in the bad news of escalating Climate Change, oceans of plastic and the fears of our young generations about the world they will inherit. According to National Geographic, scientists have warned that this may be the hottest year ever, which will usher in more frequent and more intense weather extremes.

Recently this has been made evident by Australia experiencing its hottest recorded month, while the Midwest of the USA was caught in the lethal grip of unprecedented cold that left 12 dead and scores injured by frostbite. The pressure for us to transform our use of plastics, especially in the form of consumer packaging and goods, has also escalated dramatically with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicting that there will be more plastic than fish in the seas by 2050. But, perhaps the most wrenching ‘State of the Earth’ message came at this year’s World Economic Forum when 16-year-old Swedish climate activist, Greta Thunberg, declared that ‘our house is on fire’, and urged all the powerful adults in the room not to hope but to panic.

The Eco-Logic Awards serve as a light sabre cutting through the dark gloom and doom of the current state of our planet to highlight that there are bright green solutions that we as consumers and citizens can support. Director of The Enviropaedia and the Eco-Logic Awards, David Parry-Davies reminds us that: “If we take a look at how the year has started, there’s no doubt that our situation is dire. However, the 2019 Eco-Logic Awards can lift us out of a pessimistic and helpless attitude about our future by identifying the people, products and organisations that give us hope because they provide real solutions for Climate Change and other environmental challenges that we face. We will celebrate the achievements of today’s Eco-Champions who are giving us the resources and creating the opportunities to build a better world to live in for ourselves and our children.”

The 2019 Eco-Logic Awards will encourage greater awareness of action taken against the impacts of urgent issues, and in doing so, generate exposure for these eco-efforts. Parry-Davies points out that previous winners of the Eco-Logic Awards have reported on benefits such as increased public awareness and credibility. “We’ve had winners experiencing boosted sales of eco-friendly products and services,” he says. “But this is not all. It’s an opportunity for community and non-profit projects to attract more sponsorship from government and corporates. It’s an opportunity to foster more community support, employee engagement and target audience buy-in.”

The event, which will be held at the Table Bay Hotel in Cape Town, will feature Eco-Talks, which include Parry-Davies, whose thought leadership has been endorsed by no less than Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Creator of the 7 virtues of Eco-Logic value system, Parry-Davies will deliver a keynote presentation on ‘How to be an Eco-Logical human being”. Further to this, Pam Golding Properties will speak on ‘ how to increase the biodiversity of your garden,’ and Artists for the planet will present environmental art in celebration of nature. The art gallery will donate 30% of all art sales proceeds to the Endangered Wildlife Trust.

Any entity or individual can enter themselves or another in the 2019 Eco-logic Awards online. Entries will be assessed by a panel of highly experienced and knowledgeable judges from senior positions in the private and public sectors. Projects can be entered into multiple relevant categories.

The 7 virtues of Eco-Logic are used to assess each entry, and the criteria includes:

Benefits and regenerates the Earth

Reflects long-term, sustainable thinking

Embraces a broadly inclusive and systemic thinking

Demonstrates an Ubuntu care and consideration for others

Is of excellent quality and ethical standard of production

Demonstrates innovation and/or an inspirational vision

Reflects ‘Eco-Logical Wisdom’ by being both intellectually and emotionally intelligent

Up to five of the best nominees in each category will be invited to attend the ‘Glamorously Green’ Eco-Logic Gala Awards evening on 5 June 2019. Attendees are encouraged to dress-up in innovative, sophisticated outfits with a green motif. The 2019 winners will be announced at the event, which will host more than 300 invited guests, including environmental movers and shakers; thought leaders and celebrities, sponsors and top business executives; as well as government representatives.

This year’s sponsors include; Department of Environmental Affairs, Department of Trade and Industry and the CSIR, City of Tshwane, Pick n Pay, Santam, Pam Golding, and Sun International.

There is no entry fee to the 2019 Eco-logic Awards, and entries will close on 31st March 2019.